Buffalo's Lazar Hayward Ready To Shine In San Jose

BUFFALO, NY- Buffalo Traditional grad Lazar Hayward will lead his Marquette Golden Eagles into the NCAA East Regionals Thursday evening in San Jose.

Here in the Queen City, his dad, Lazar Sr. will be watching at home with just his other son. He says he gets too intense to be around a lot of people. That doesn't mean he won't be proud, or celebrating.

The elder Hayward was considering traveling to San Jose for the games, but the cost was just a bit too much. Hayward recently traveled to watch his son in the Big East Tournament. Senior says that when they make it through the first two rounds he will go to Syracuse to watch him play in the sweet 16.

Hayward says it's a surreal experience. He never dreamed that Lazar Jr. would ever get the shot at Division I basketball. He says he had to work hard just to make his high school team. After a stellar career at Traditional, the only college that showed any interest was SUNY Fredonia. They chose to try prep school for a year and went to Notre Dame Prep. That did the trick. The D-I schools spotted him and he is now playing through his fourth season at Marquette. It is also his fourth NCAA Tournament.

This is not the end for him either. Hayward is ranked #38 among college seniors entering this Spring's NBA draft.